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Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Now this, my friends, is a true staple of the southern kitchen in my little ole humble opinion and it is a rare southern household that doesn't have a Mason jar or grease pot full of this hanging around the stove or in the fridge.

Course lots of times we cook with bacon, so we use both the bacon and the rendered fat from the bacon. Yum - nothing like bacon. Bacon fat just adds so much flavor to cooking it is impossible to match with any other fat, even butter, and y'all know I love butter.

First, while we're here on fats... {pulls out soapbox} as far as the butter versus margarine argument, I just flat out don't believe in using margarine. Period. I know there are arguments on both sides of the issue and mostly people use margarine for health reasons, but even still, I question that, because I believe that butter is the better choice when there is a health reason, when it is used it in moderation.

Here are my arguments. For one, butter is all natural. Butter is made from churning the cream that rises to the top of milk - that's it - so I know that butter is natural and my body immediately recognizes it for what it is. Butter is a great source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and contains natural fatty acids our bodies need.

Margarine has its start from very low quality, chemically extracted refined vegetable oils to begin with. It often contains trans-fatty acids and toxic residues resulting from the process of turning that poor quality oil into a solid substance. These residues in excess can cause lung cancer, kidney disease, depression and contribute to diseases such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and malignancies. Margarine also contains artificial coloring agents to make it look like butter. Butter does not contain those trans-fatty acids or toxic metals or artificial colors.

Yes, margarine is cheaper, but considering that it is completely nutritionally bankrupt in comparison to the purity of butter, is that really a bargain? I choose to pick my budget battles and pinch my pennies in other areas to pay a little more for things like real vanilla and pure butter.

So, for me, butter wins hands down. Now... of course, I'm not gonna call you out as wrong for what you choose to use - I would never do that! Whatever you use is right for you and who am I to try and tell you otherwise?! I'm just sharing why I choose to use butter. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! ;) {tucks away soapbox}

But... we're here to talk about bacon fat right now!

Except for the strainer that is built into my grease pot, I don't worry too much over straining it well,except for in some cases when I am about to use it, most often with a dark roux since I don't want the solid bits of bacon in there to burn my roux. Then I just warm it and strain it before using it. But as far as storing the rendered bacon fat, when I cook bacon, I just pour the drippings into my little grease pot or a mason jar and I keep it stored in the refrigerator. I know that some folks keep their bacon fat right on the stove or the counter. I don't know if they are straining it well first or not, but the idea of pieces of pork possibly being in that fat and going rancid and growing bacteria is disturbing to me, so I just play it safe and keep my jar in the fridge. When you pull it out to use it, just draw your spoon down to the bottom to turn the drippings and scoop from there, that way you're always circulating the older fat to the top.

If you want to strain it, while it's still pretty warm and liquid, just place a coffee filter or a paper towel over a spouted container of some sort like a glass Pyrex measuring cup and pour the bacon fat through the filter. This will remove the solid bits that are left behind from cooking the bacon. Discard the filter and transfer the strained fat into your Mason jar or some other glass container - don't use plastic - and stick that in the fridge.

What do you use it for? Well, I'll be the first to tell you that I use heart healthy oils like olive oil wherever I can. But sometimes getting a little boost of flavor from bacon drippings can really make a difference in flavor. Just about any place where you would generally use butter or oil to saute or flavor a dish, or oil to fry, you can use bacon fat.

On the occasion when I decide I want a dirty fried egg, I always cook a strip or two of bacon and cook my eggs right in the bacon drippings. I like my whites cooked and my yolks runny, so if I have made two strips, I'll crumble up one of them and sprinkle it right on top of my eggs just before I dig in. I've made my fried eggs that way forever and I love them. I'd eat them every day if I could get away with it. I do my Birds in a Nest in bacon drippings too.

I use bacon drippings a lot for my skillet cornbread, not only to coat the skillet to produce that wonderful crunchy crust we all love, but then after I swirl it around, I pour it right into the batter as my fat. I just love the flavor it adds to cornbread, and sometimes I'll even add in some crumbled bacon. It's great for old fashioned skillet biscuit bread too. It's even good with chex mix, though I still lean toward butter for that snack myself.

How long are stored bacon drippings good for? That's subjective I reckon! Depends on how often you use it and how you store it. The food police will tell you to use it up from the fridge within about 6 months, but I hesitate to say how long I've had my jar going. I just top the jar off with the new strained drippings, and take a spoon to turn it over so that the older drippings come up on top each time that I take it out of the fridge. Frozen, it keeps for a little bit longer.

You see? Cooked bacon and the residual drippings really are quite versatile! Just search my site using that search bar in the upper right hand corner with terms like bacon fat or bacon drippings, and I'm sure there are many things that will motivate your imagination, but start saving your bacon fat, and don't forget ... use it!

Like you, i keep all my bacon fat. I use it on green beans, to jazz up pork and beans(baked beans) that I bake in the oven, to add flavor to a meatloaf (i just pour some over the top),on potato salad, and the list goes on an on. I couldnt live without my bacon fat!! As for butter, I dont use anything but butter. Land o' lakes..any other butters just arent the same.

gpd, I actually do use bacon and the fat in my green beans and baked beans - never thought to add the bacon fat to potato salad, but that's definitely interesting! I wonder does it solidify once you chill the potato salad?? LOL is my butter too - others just don't stand up to it IMHO!

Penniwig! Great idea with the tea strainer. Easier to clean than a wire strainer and less loss of actual bacon fat like with a filter.

Joyce, of course! I knew you would have a jar of bacon fat in your kitchen!! Years ago I bought into the margarine is healthier for you until I read the facts and switched back to real butter. I truthfully never liked the flavor of margarine anyway. When I use butter as a flavoring or on bread, I don't douse the stuff in it - I just use a little for flavor. Recipes, well that's where larger amounts come in and then it's all about portion control!! You just can't beat the taste of pure butter, I don't care who ya are!

I'm am right there with ya on butter v. margerine. Butter all the way!

I'll have to start saving my bacon fat. Right now it goes in a jar under the sink. Up here it's Ball jars, not Mason...but same thing. I better start putting it in the fridge and putting it to use in some of your fabulous recipes!

I'm a little old fashioned like that too - I like to "use it up" and "wear it out" which is why I still have a 15 years old stove, even though I am blogging recipes and cook so much and could certainly justify replacing it! I'm waiting till it gives out first. A lot of younger folks grew up in such a disposable society that they just toss away perfectly good stuff with not a second thought! It makes me nuts.

Years ago, I saw a taste test on popping corn and the best was popped using the grease strained off from cooking sausage, but bacon grease would be a close second. And popped on the stove instead of the microwave is ALWAYS better!

I've always fried my eggs and hashbrowns or potatoes in the bacon fat from that hour but I've never stored it for later purposes. This is a great idea that I will officially be using. Just one question here, does it have an expiration date in the fridge?

Does the bacon fat have an expiration date in the refrigerator? I have always used the fat with frying eggs and hash browns the same hour but now I will definitely be doing this!! Thanks for the tip!!!

The food police will say to use it up in about 6 months. I've had my jar going for years though! Just make sure you strain the drippings, and be sure to use a spoon to turn it up after you've topped it, so that the bottom drippings get turned on the top.

Thanks for taking the time to comment - I love hearing from readers and I read every single comment and try to respond to them right here on the site, so stop back by!

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